Rutherford B. Irones
Encyclopedia
Rutherford B. Irones was a physician
and an American
Republican politician
from California
.
to John H. Irones, who came to California in 1847.
Rutherford Irones graduated from the University of California
Medical School and trained as a physician at Vanderbilt Clinics
at Roosevelt Hospital in New York. He joined the Marine Hospital Service in 1900 in San Francisco
and became a respected physician. He helped out with the bubonic plague in that city. Later he went to La Boca
, a neighborhood in the South American city of Buenos Aires
, studying yellow fever, and visited several hospitals in Asia.
Irones married Georgie E. Dow in January, 1906.
In 1907 Irones opened an office in San Diego
where he practiced medicine.
During World War I
, Irones served again as Captain in the medical corps, serving in France
.
At the war's end he remained and was food director for the American Relief Administration
in Central Europe
and Balkan States
.
He became friends with Alexander I
, the crown prince of Yugoslavia
.
On January 17, 1920 Irones married the Countess von Reig and Sitzgross, later known as Mary, at Vienna
, Austria
.
Irones returned to San Diego in 1920, where he was a member of the American Medical Association
and local medical societies, and the Roman Catholic Church
.
ist and headed the Crusaders' anti-prohibition organization, which fought the 18th Amendment
in San Diego and Imperial counties. He campaigned in 1932 for Republican Tallant Tubbs against Democrat William Gibbs McAdoo
for Senator
. McAdoo, who was "Dry", won.
Irones was appointed mayor of San Diego on August 2, 1934 to finish out the term of John Forward
, who resigned.
The council wanted to appoint Vice Mayor Al Bennett, but he said "I'm thoroughly disgusted with city politics. I don't want the mayor's appointment."
Councilman Charles E. Anderson commented "I was in hope some outstanding citizen . . . could be persuaded to accept the office, but I guess that is impossible."
He said the council settled on Irones as a "harmony" move.
Shortly after his appointment, Irones had his pay as mayor attached to pay a bad debt of $648 plus interest.
A month after taking office, he demanded and got a new Lincoln automobile from the city, which was derisively referred to by the press as the "royal coach". While driving drunk one evening, Irones crashed his new car, seriously injuring the passenger in the other car, then he ran into a telephone pole trying to escape. Police Chief George M. Sears, appointed by Irones, did nothing.
Several months later, after a newspaper investigation and civil suit by the victim publicized the crime, Irones was arrested, convicted of hit-and-run driving, and forced to resign in 1935. Sentenced to six months in jail and one year's probation, he was confined in a cell with 17 others, but released 30 days early for good behavior. After a separate board hearing, Irones kept his medical license.
Irones died February 13, 1948 at the United States Veterans Home at Sawtelle, Los Angeles
, where he had lived for a year prior to his death, and was buried in nearby Los Angeles National Cemetery
.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Republican politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Early life: military and medical service
Irones was born March 4, 1877 in Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
to John H. Irones, who came to California in 1847.
Rutherford Irones graduated from the University of California
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
Medical School and trained as a physician at Vanderbilt Clinics
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
at Roosevelt Hospital in New York. He joined the Marine Hospital Service in 1900 in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
and became a respected physician. He helped out with the bubonic plague in that city. Later he went to La Boca
La Boca
La Boca is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It retains a strong European flavour, with many of its early settlers being from the Italian city of Genoa. In fact the name has a strong assonance with the Genoese neighborhood of Boccadasse , and some people believe that...
, a neighborhood in the South American city of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, studying yellow fever, and visited several hospitals in Asia.
Irones married Georgie E. Dow in January, 1906.
In 1907 Irones opened an office in San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
where he practiced medicine.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Irones served again as Captain in the medical corps, serving in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
At the war's end he remained and was food director for the American Relief Administration
American Relief Administration
American Relief Administration was an American relief mission to Europe and later Soviet Russia after World War I. Herbert Hoover, future president of the United States, was the program director....
in Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
and Balkan States
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
.
He became friends with Alexander I
Alexander I of Yugoslavia
Alexander I , also known as Alexander the Unifier was the first king of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia as well as the last king of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes .-Childhood:...
, the crown prince of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
.
On January 17, 1920 Irones married the Countess von Reig and Sitzgross, later known as Mary, at Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
Irones returned to San Diego in 1920, where he was a member of the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
and local medical societies, and the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.
Political life
Irones was a strong anti-prohibitionProhibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
ist and headed the Crusaders' anti-prohibition organization, which fought the 18th Amendment
Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Eighteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution established Prohibition in the United States. The separate Volstead Act set down methods of enforcing the Eighteenth Amendment, and defined which "intoxicating liquors" were prohibited, and which were excluded from prohibition...
in San Diego and Imperial counties. He campaigned in 1932 for Republican Tallant Tubbs against Democrat William Gibbs McAdoo
William Gibbs McAdoo
William Gibbs McAdoo, Jr. was an American lawyer and political leader who served as a U.S. Senator, United States Secretary of the Treasury and director of the United States Railroad Administration...
for Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. McAdoo, who was "Dry", won.
Irones was appointed mayor of San Diego on August 2, 1934 to finish out the term of John Forward
John F. Forward, Jr.
John F. Forward, Jr. was an American politician from California.-Personal and business life:John F. Forward, Jr. was born 1876 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to John F. Forward, Sr...
, who resigned.
The council wanted to appoint Vice Mayor Al Bennett, but he said "I'm thoroughly disgusted with city politics. I don't want the mayor's appointment."
Councilman Charles E. Anderson commented "I was in hope some outstanding citizen . . . could be persuaded to accept the office, but I guess that is impossible."
He said the council settled on Irones as a "harmony" move.
Shortly after his appointment, Irones had his pay as mayor attached to pay a bad debt of $648 plus interest.
A month after taking office, he demanded and got a new Lincoln automobile from the city, which was derisively referred to by the press as the "royal coach". While driving drunk one evening, Irones crashed his new car, seriously injuring the passenger in the other car, then he ran into a telephone pole trying to escape. Police Chief George M. Sears, appointed by Irones, did nothing.
Several months later, after a newspaper investigation and civil suit by the victim publicized the crime, Irones was arrested, convicted of hit-and-run driving, and forced to resign in 1935. Sentenced to six months in jail and one year's probation, he was confined in a cell with 17 others, but released 30 days early for good behavior. After a separate board hearing, Irones kept his medical license.
Epilogue
In 1937 his wife Mary, the former Countess, deserted him and he sued for divorce in 1939.Irones died February 13, 1948 at the United States Veterans Home at Sawtelle, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, where he had lived for a year prior to his death, and was buried in nearby Los Angeles National Cemetery
Los Angeles National Cemetery
The Los Angeles National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in West Los Angeles, at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard. The cemetery was dedicated in 1889. Interred there are war veterans, from the Spanish-American war, World War I, World War II, Korean War,...
.
See also
, v. 2, pp. 263-264: "Rutherford B. Irones, M.D."- Obituary, San Diego Union, February 17, 1948, p. A-3. Includes portrait